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The Best Resorts on the French Riviera

09/01/2022

Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France
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Perhaps one of the most recognizable stretches of coastline in the world, the French Riviera or Côte d’Azur in French is a decadently beautiful and sun-soaked corner of France. It curls its way along the Mediterranean through cities like Nice, Cannes, and Monaco and features stretches of sandy and rocky beaches. 

Best known as the summer playroom for the rich and famous, this part of the world can be expensive to visit. However, once you see some of the amazing resorts on the French Riviera, you’ll start to understand what all the fuss is about.

Plan your French Riviera road trip or a weekend getaway with our list of the best beach resorts in the French Riviera

Beaurivage Beach Nice

Hotel Martinez (Cannes)

The 5-star Hotel Martinez is located in the iconic city of Cannes on the famous La Croisette Boulevard. It’s one of the best resorts on the French Riviera if you want to be close to the action and offers direct access to a private beach. There’s also a spa on-site for treatments and a fitness center.

The rooms are newly renovated and decorated in Art Déco style, and some have terraces with views of the sea. The eating options in the hotel are simply divine: the 2 Michelin-starred La Palme d’Or restaurant for great views and movie-inspired cuisine, the La Plage du Martinez restaurant for seafood and Mediterranean dishes, and Le Jardin du Martinez which also hosts 1930s-themed garden parties. The Martinez bar offers a wide range of delicious cocktails for the aperitif or a last drink.

Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat (Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat)

No French Riviera beach resorts list would be complete without this entry. Located in Cap-Ferrat, this stunning property awarded with the status of a luxury Palace hotel is set on seven hectares of lush Mediterranean gardens.

Over the years, it’s been a popular hideaway for some very famous guests, including royalty from Russia and England, Winston Churchill, Somerset Maugham, Charlie Chaplin, and Aristotle Onassis. And once you experience the luxury and charm of this hotel, you’ll understand why.

The Grand Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat has a heated seawater pool, a spa, and elegant décor befitting its history and its present. The rooms have views of the ocean or the pinewood, and some even have their own private pools.

There are three restaurants on-site, so you have your choice of cuisine, including the1 Michelin star Le Cap, poolside Club Dauphin, and laidback La Véranda.

Hotel Belles Rives (Juan-les-Pins)

Located in the town of Juan-les-Pins in the commune of Antibes, Hotel Belles Rives is an Art Déco hotel right on the waterfront which has a heavy claim to fame. This resort on the French Riviera was once known as the Villa Saint-Louis and was the sanctuary of the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald after the war. It was in this location that he was inspired to write The Great Gatsby based on the pleasures of partying and swimming in the French Riviera beaches. That long-ago villa became the Belle Rives Hotel in 1929.

With Carrara marble bathrooms, rooms with views over the Mediterranean Sea, and the Fitzgerald piano bar offering cocktails and a light menu, this French Riviera Resort is steeped in elegant history. It also has a Michelin-starred restaurant with panoramic views of the town and the ocean, a private beach, and a swimming pool.

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Hotel Cap Estel (Éze)

Located not far from the hilltop village of Éze, this beautiful hotel gazes out over the sea with studied elegance. It has its own private beach, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a garden where you can soak up the warm weather in complete tranquility.

Hotel Cap Estel is the kind of hotel designed for privacy with its own gated estate and lush, screening greenery. This is why it’s been a magnet for discreet celebrities for more than 50 years.

This is one of the best French Riviera Resorts for views, and every room has views of the sea and the garden along with elegant, understated décor. There’s also a restaurant and a bar on-site, as well as a wellness center for deeper relaxation.

Hotel Pan dei Palais (Saint-Tropez)

The Hotel Pan dei Palais is one of those French Riviera resorts that goes its own way with unshakeable confidence. It boasts the décor of an oriental palace, which comes from its romantic history.

The house was originally a private residence and was decorated to celebrate the love between an Indian princess and a French Army general. The story of their romance and the family they raised in this house only adds to its warm, welcoming feel. 

Located in the center of Saint-Tropez, the hotel has an outdoor pool complete with a pool-side bar and spacious suites. And when you get tired of all the sun and sand, you can relax with a plate of delicious Italian food in the hotel’s restaurant or have a drink in the lounge bar.

Hotel La Perouse Nice Baie des Anges (Nice)

The Hotel La Perouse Nice Baie des Anges is one of the best resorts on the French Riviera because of the location alone. Located in the famous Nice, the hotel is perched above the Promenade des Anglais and has views over the sea.

One of the best hotels in Nice with a pool and within walking distance of some of the best things to do in Nice, like Old Town and the Flower Market, and yet offers serenity and complete privacy to every guest.

The hotel has spacious rooms with Mediterranean décor, as well as Italian marble bathrooms. And if you can’t get enough of the view, then you should book one of the rooms with a balcony to enjoy it at all hours of the day and night.

To make your weekend in Nice even more perfect, the hotel has its own restaurant where you can eat delicious Provencal cuisine at lunch or in the evening, as well as a buffet breakfast made with local and organic products.

So don’t hesitate and book your stay in one of these best resorts on the French Riviera for your next holiday. Enjoy the sun, the history, and the amazing facilities of these French Riviera resorts.


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